Summary On 02September 1995, the EVELYN, in lightship condition, began departure manoeuvres at the Duncan Wharf in Ville de la Baie, Quebec. The vessel was under the conduct of a pilot and was assisted by two tugs. The EVELYN began to manoeuvre to move backward and struck an unloading crane of the Alcan Electrolysis and Chemical Company Ltd port facilities. During subsequent manoeuvres to bring the vessel back alongside, a second crane was struck. No one was injured, and the damage to the vessel and the cranes was minor. Other Factual Information Particulars of the Vessel Shortly before 0800(1) on 02September 1995, a pilot boarded the EVELYN, moored starboard side to at berth No.1 of the Duncan Wharf. The vessel was in lightship condition and ready to sail. At 0820, the first of two tugs, the ALEXIS SIMARD, arrived on the scene and took up position at the stern of the EVELYN. Two mooring lines were passed over the centre chock to the tug to serve as towlines. The second tug, the GRANDE BAIE, arrived at 0835 and took up position on the port bow; two mooring lines were passed to that vessel also to serve as towlines. The order was given to let go all lines from the wharf, and, at the same time, the pilot gave the order for the tugs to pull. The vessel's main engine was not used, and the helm remained midships. As soon as the mooring lines were let go, the vessel's bow moved about 10m away from the wharf, and the vessel began to move backward at the same time. The tide had been high since 0730, and, because of the vessel's angle to the wharf, the starboard quarter passed over the wharf. It became clear that the EVELYN was on a course that would cause her to strike unloading crane UT-8, which is of the auger type. At 0838, the main engine was put to slow ahead, and the helm hard-a-starboard, to stop the vessel and move the stern away from the wharf. Before this manoeuvre produced any result, the starboard wing of the bridge and the raised, but unsecured, gangway struck crane UT-8. The pilot ordered the tugs to stop pulling. The main engine was stopped at 0841 because, by then, the EVELYN had move away from the wharf. The pilot contacted the vessel's agent and brought the vessel back alongside so that damage could be assessed. At that time, the EVELYN was opposite crane UT-6 which was approximately 25m east of crane UT-8. The tug ALEXIS SIMARD was asked to tie up to the port side at hold No.4. At 0856, the main engine of the EVELYN was put to slow ahead. The stern tug appears to have pushed harder than the other tug, and the vessel's stern once again preceded the bow along the wharf. The vessel's gangway struck crane UT-6, which sustained minor damage. The EVELYN moved away from the wharf again and finally tied up at berth No.1 at 0920. Duncan Wharf has five cranes on rails running along the wharf. When the cranes are not in use, they are usually stowed so as not to extend beyond the face of the wharf. The two cranes that were damaged were stowed when the EVELYN set sail. After the accident, the minimum distances between the face of the wharf, including the fenders, and the damaged parts of cranes UT-8 and UT-6 were measured, as follows: stairway 1.50m corner of workshop 0.38m forward handrail 0.61m stairway 1.57m platform 2.29m lampposts 1.98m steel beam 2.54m The communications between the pilot and the tugs during the manoeuvring operations were conducted by VHF radiotelephone. As the communications were conducted on a working frequency, they were not recorded by a Marine Communications and Traffic Centre, because the centre does not keep a radio watch on this frequency. Therefore, the communications could not be cross-checked with the witnesses' statements.